Hot-wire consumable to provide self-lubricating weld or clad

Abstract

A filler wire (consumable) for depositing self-lubricating materials in a system for any of brazing, cladding, building up, filling, hard-facing overlaying, welding, and joining applications. The filler wire is composed of a base filler material consistent with commonly known compositions. For example, the base filler material can comprise standard materials used in many standard mild steel wires. In addition to the base filler materials, the consumable includes self-lubricating materials. The self-lubricating materials include at least one of graphite particles and graphite powder, and can include other self-lubricating materials.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hot-wire consumable, the consumable comprising:
 a base filler material, and 
 at least one of self-lubricating particles having a nominal diameter in a range of 200 microns to 400 microns and self-lubricating powder having a nominal diameter in a range of 4 microns to 200 microns 
 and said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is coated, wherein said coating comprises at least one of nickel and nickel alloy and has a thickness in a range of 1 to 30 microns. 
 
     
     
       2. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder represents a combined volume percentage in said consumable in the range of 5% to 50%. 
     
     
       3. The consumable of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a flux disposed over said base filler material to form an outer layer, said base filler material forming a solid core portion of said filler wire, 
 wherein said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is mixed with said flux in said outer layer of said consumable. 
 
     
     
       4. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said consumable is a solid-type wire, and
 wherein said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is mixed with said base material and said mixture is sintered to form said solid-type wire. 
 
     
     
       5. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said consumable is a cored-type wire, said base material forming a sheath around a core, and
 wherein said core comprises said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder. 
 
     
     
       6. The consumable of  claim 5 , wherein said core comprises flux, and
 wherein said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is mixed with said flux in said core. 
 
     
     
       7. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said consumable is a cored-type wire, said base material and a portion of said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder forming a sheath around a core. 
     
     
       8. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said core comprises flux, and
 wherein a remaining portion of said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is mixed with said flux in said core. 
 
     
     
       9. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein a melting temperature or a burning temperature of said at least one of said self-lubricating particles and said self-lubricating powder is higher than a melting temperature of said base filler material. 
     
     
       10. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said consumable comprises both of said self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles and a combined volume percentage of said self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles in said consumable is in the range of 5% to 50%. 
     
     
       11. The consumable of  claim 1 , where said at least one self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles is graphite. 
     
     
       12. The consumable of  claim 1 , where said at least one self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles is at least one of graphite, copper, tin, and molybdenum disiulfide. 
     
     
       13. The consumable of  claim 1 , where said at least one self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles is a combination of at least two of graphite, copper, tin, and molybdenum disulfide. 
     
     
       14. The consumable of  claim 1 , where said at least one self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles is a combination of graphite and one of copper, tin, and molybdenum disulfide, and wherein said combined volume percentage of said consumable of said self-lubricating powder and said self-lubricating particles in said consumable is in the range of 5% to 50%. 
     
     
       15. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein said thickness of said coating is in a range of 5 to 30 microns. 
     
     
       16. The consumable of  claim 1 , wherein the consumable comprises said self-lubricating particles having a nominal diameter in a range of 200 microns to 400 microns.